Smirk
by A-Kubrick-Spent
Summary: Pacifica Northwest was, he was quite sure, the most absolutely infuriating girl on the face of the Earth. She was doing that smirk at him again. He knew it, he KNEW it.
1. Smirk

Pacifica was smirking at him.

He couldn't _see_ it, considering that her back was to him as they walked, but he knew how it felt- the electric feel of smugness in the air whenever she was right about something.

It was positively _infuriating_. Dipper kept his gaze steadily on her bobbing ponytail as they walked towards the small cafe that they were grabbing lunch at- Mabel was supposed to meet then there, after having left then alone at the Shack an hour or so ago.

 _Glitter Buisness_ , she had said when she left. And by the way she cackled and grinned as she left, he knew- he _knew!_ \- that nothing good would come of it.

"Admit it, Dipper. I'm right, you're wrong, and you know it!" He clenched his fists at his side, shaking his head in disagreement, nevermind that she couldn't see it.

"No way, Northwest. No _way_ are the Gnomes and Faeries related!"

It was one of those small, stupid arguments that had, predictably, blown up into a heated brawl of words and convictions. He secretly thought the blonde twenty two year old enjoyed goading him, just so they could get into these little spats of theirs. He suspected that she enjoyed stretching her sadistic side when it came to him, nevermind that he gave as good as he got. At this point, he almost took the opposite end of the argument just to make a point.

"Have you _seen_ their magic, Pines? Like, they use the same snappy fingered forest magic bullshit! Plus, they both totally have the collective hive mind thing going on."

"There's _no_ evidence-"

"It's magic, Dipper! Taxonomy doesn't really count here, you know. But magic does, and you know it!"

He opened his mouth to reply, but found that he didn't have a ready answer to quip with. For whatever reason, Pacifica Northwest obfuscated him.

Must be pheromones.

When he didn't answer, she turned to him, and she was _definitely_ smirking at him, white teeth outlining her victory over him.

It was the kind of smirk you could only achieve by being completely self assured in your own superiority. And Pacifica Northwest was, in a word, superior. She was smart, quick-witted, athletic, and absolutely gorgeous, and she knew it.

Not just knew it. She _reveled_ in it.

"What, no smart comeback?"

He dug his hands into his jeans pockets, turning his nose at her rather than admit defeat. She laughed, a sweet sound with the harsh undertone of a victor. "Guess not, Dip. Point to Paz," she said cheekily.

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered. She laughed again, turning back to lead the way.

He steadfastly looked at her bobbing ponytail once more. More importantly, he convinced himself that doing so _wasn't_ just so he didn't stare at her butt as she walked ahead of him.

Nope.

No way.

 _ **BREAK**_

He was laying on the couch in the Mystery Shack, forlornly trying to read a cryptozoological journal that he had found earlier. They weren't entirely wrong, which was interesting.

Now, he was _trying_ to read it because Mabel and Pacifica were splayed out on the floor, gossiping unhurriedly about their day, their course work, Mabel's new crush- anything that crossed their mind. And it wasn't so much that they were there- he had no problem reading with people talking, considering that he grew up with _Mabel_ of all people.

No, the problem was Pacifica Northwest, slowly swinging her legs back and forth. They were crossed at the ankles, her manicured toes rhythmically curling and uncurling; she was lazily going from right to left, her calves coming together, the material of her black leggings rubbing together. Her hair was splayed down her back, no longer in her customary ponytail.

And it shouldn't have been anything, really. He'd seen her relaxing like this before- she was his sister's best friend, after all!

And his friend, too, depending on the week. They fought like they were married sometimes.

He'd never tell anyone, but he secretly enjoyed their little spats. She forced him to use all of his wit, to be _better_ when they argued. It was like dancing, almost. Which was good, because he _actually_ danced with all the grace and fluidity of a garbage can rolling down a hill.

He refocused on the magazine, but it was a lost cause, and he knew it. Her legs kept swinging, and the muscles beneath her leggings played across his vision.

And that wasn't even _mentioning_ the way her ass was moving with her legs. It was unfair. It was _cruel_.

He kept his eyes glued to his magazine, his eyes skimming across the same three words about twenty times.

"...and then, Jorge came with these flowers, okay? Orchids, actually, there must have been a hundred of them. And he had this, like, Maserati, and it was all just so..."

Mabel stared at her friend, the casual way in which she handled her extreme wealth- and therefore, her extremely wealthy suitors- still a small wonder to the Pine Twins, who were quite used to sharing rooms and scrabbling for odd jobs to pay for their small apartment. "And then what?"

"And then he kissed me," Paz said simply.

Behind her, Dipper ripped his magazine, the loud tearing noise halting the girls conversation for a moment. While they regarded him with bemusement, he steadfastly ignored them. It had been an _accident_ , thank you very much!

There was no way- _no way in Hell_ \- that the news that Pacifica Northwest had kissed some rich, pompous asshole effected him in _any way at all_.

No sirree, nope.

Must be the shoddy way that these people printed their stupid magazines.

She was smirking at him again, pearly whites broadcasting the lazy disdain that she so easily exuded. Like she was in on some sort of joke about him.

Actually, to her, he probably _was_ a joke.

"Problem, dork?" Mabel snickered at his discomfort, but made no comment.

He breathed in, but didn't balk. "Nope. Just glad I don't have your problems. It would be a shame, getting so many orchids, just to watch them all die because you have the same affinity for plants as a desert." He grinned lightly at her, and her eyes had that little twinkle in them whenever they sparred.

"It's a good thing that I won't have to. He took them with him."

"What, to his high-rise in Manhattan? I'm sure he has a peacock menagerie there, too."

"I bet he does," she laughed lightly. "But I won't ever find out. After he kissed me, I punched him the jaw so hard that he spat out some teeth."

Mabel guffawed loudly at her proclamation, which was almost enough to cover her brothers confused gaping. "You _go_ , girl!"

Pacifica paused long enough to high five her bestie, turning back to Dipper and giving him her _smirk_.

"But, he... You... Why?"

"I never said that he could kiss me. He just forced it. Mega rude, you know? Besides, he wasnt my type."

Dipper shook his head, and he found that he was grinning for some reason. "And what is, Oh Princess Northwest? Do the mega rich not interest you anymore?"

"They _never_ did, you dweeb. I already have enough money to buy California, why would I want more?"

"How would I know? I'm just some peasant," he teased. He felt a hell of a lot better than just a minute ago.

Must have been the catharsis of ripping his magazine. Yup.

Definitely.

"Exactly! Don't question your Queen, filthy serf!"

"Unstable Tyrant! Down with the Bourgeoise!" And he brought a pillow crashing down on her head, laughing.

She shrieked, and quickly brought Mabel in on her side, both of them grabbing pillows and smacking Dipper mercilessly.

The magazine, ripped and abused, lay forgotten on the floor.

 _ **BREAK**_

It was very good ice cream, he decided. Cookies and creme, little nuts sprinkled throughout. He brought another spoonful to his lips, humming happily at the flavor.

"Thanks again, Paz!"

"My pleasure, dork," she simpered back, a cup full of chocalate, chocalate, and more chocalate. "Now, let's get down to buisness, hmm?"

"Sure, sure. What's your problem, exactly?"

"Ghosts again, Dipper. There's something about the Northwest's that _attracts_ them to us, you know?"

"Probably all the people you guys have screwed over through the years," he snickered at her. She shot him a glare, and then shrugged.

"Yeah, probably. Anyone, there's this one that..."

They talked for a long time, their ice cream long gone, the esotericness stretching the easy conversation for a couple of hours. When he left, Dipper couldn't stop smiling.

 _ **BREAK**_

 _"I will be AVENGED!"_

The ghost behind them surged forward, hands swinging back and forth, spectral beard flung backwards, dead eyes wide and wild.

"I think hes gaining," said Dipper conversationaly as his arms and legs pumped in unison.

"Might be," she said back. She was a track runner, one of the best on the west coast. He wasn't, but he had run from enough monsters in his day to know how to run fast. The ghost behind them kept apace, but there was still a gulf between them of at least ten feet. He howled with the same cold indifference that the restless dead tended towards, angry about something that wouldn't seem important to the living.

"Ready?" Dippers call was answered by two short, sharp knocks, the Northwests rebuilt mansion having _wonderful_ acoustics when it came to ghost busting. He nodded to himself, before taking a deep breath, grabbing Pacifica's wrist, and putting on a fresh turn of speed. Expensive statues, paintings, and various rich person bric-a-brac passed by them in a blur, their pounding feet making a staccato rythym against the hardwood floor as they fled from the angry ghost. Passing through one of the many dining rooms, Dipper and Paz dove through, ripping up a very nice looking carpet in the process.

The ghost strode- err, _floated_ through the doorway confidently, arms outstretched. " _I will be AVENG-eeeeeed...?!"_

As soon as he stepped through the door way, the ghost was caught in a panorama of light, a small cyclone looking thing that caught him, swirling him about almost as if he were being pulled down a drain.

He looked, in a word, _confused_. Pacifica, getting up gracefully, shook her fist at him, a teasing smile on her lips as she watched the pesky ghost swirl into the small contraption that they had hidden under the rug. Hand on hip, she watched with satisfaction as he finally disappeared. "About time," she said. From her hiding place behind a dresser, Mabel stepped out, walking over to the rug. She paused long enough to give high fives to Pacifica and Dipper before reaching under and taking the knobby device that Ford had gifted to them.

"Alright! Well, we know that _this_ invention works! Take _that_ , ghost!"

Dipper stepped up, taking the gadget from his twin gingerly. From inside, the ghost was most assuredly very, _very_ angry. "So, I guess we should try to figure out why _this_ one was after you, Paz."

"Might help," she acceded.

"Maybe they're jealous? You're alive and pretty and rich! Maybe the dumb ghosties are angry that they couldn't be all Pazzy style awesome?" Mabel threw a companionable arm over Pacifica's shoulder, a megawatt grin on her face.

"Mabel, that doesn't make any sen-"

"Whomp!" Mabel interrupted her brothers logic and reason with a boop to the nose, making the Northwest girl snort with poorly hid laughter.

Shaking his head, Dipper pocketed the device. "Sure, whatever. Okay. You two do your own things, but I'll go do some research at the library. You know, something _constructive._ "

Paz smirked, and he found that he couldn't look away. "What, don't think my stunning beauty could attract the ghosts to me? I'm _insulted_ , dork. I'm worth, like, at _least_ three ghost hauntings with this hair and my ass."

He blushed crimson, and he hated himself for it. _You're not twelve, you spaz. Calm down. It's just Paz talking about her magnificent-_

He groaned to himself. Even his inner monologue was turning against him. "Sure it is, Northwest. Keep telling yourself that."

"I don't need to; my mirror does. So does your sister," she quipped at him.

Mabel laughed, saying, "You _go,_ girl!"

 _ **BREAK**_

The girl, her name was Laura, she had talked to him several times before this. She was a cute little brunette, small glasses and a petite body. She clutched a book to her chest, the smallest dusting of a blush on her cheeks as she talked to him. He smiled at her, his own book opened to a page on Eastern religions and how they had portrayed and dealt with ghosts through the ages.

His research went apace, and he was hoping that the local library at Gravity Falls could give him a few more clues about Pacifica's haunting problems.

"And you think that the candles might have a metaphysical effect?" Her voice was small and breathy, much like the rest of her. Her arms looked strained even holding her thick text up, but she didn't complain or place it down.

"Yeah, there's a few references about them; I think that they resonate with the silver mirrors. That would explain why ghosts always seem more active with the right mystical equipment."

"Wow, that's really interesting, Dipper!" One of her hands left her chest to lightly trail up his arm. She smiled at him, shyly, looking bashfully at him. He didn't particularly _mind_ , but it struck him as weird. Girls didn't _do_ that kind of stuff to him, flirting or whatever this was. "Do you think that... Um... H...hello?"

Looking up, Dipper saw Pacifica Northwest standing behind them. Hands on hips, eyes alight with _something_ , her gold earrings glinting in the light of the library. "Hello, Miss. I'm sorry, but you're interrupting my man here. He's doing research, for _me._ It's important. Please leave him alone."

Laura blushed even deeper, shaking her head. "Oh, I di-didn't mean, I mean. I... I'll just..." With a last forlorn look at Dipper, she fled deeper into the library. Pacifica looked inordinately pleased with herself as the other girl retreated. She smirked at him, and he was feeling _pissed_ at her.

"What the hell, Paz?" She raised one delicately manicured eyebrow at him, implicating that he should continue. He stood up from the table, striding up to her. "What did that poor girl ever do to you? I'm not your _employee_ or whatever else you seem to think I am! She can talk to me if she wants to!"

Pacifica sighed, shaking her head almost like she pitied him. "That girl was trying to seduce you, Dipper. _Seduce._ Even if it was sad and clumsy, it might just have worked on a dork like you. So I ran her off. You should thank me, really. She would have been _horrible_ for you, Pines."

He spluttered, "and, and why should you... _care_ , Paz! So what if a girl likes me?"

"Three reasons. One, did you see how she talked, and how she struggled with that book? A girl like that could _never_ keep up with your nerd monster hunting tendencies. She'd, like, _die,_ Dipper. Two, like I said, she's a distraction. She would keep you away from the important stuff. And, most importantly, three," she stepped forward, _deeply_ into his personal space. He almost backed up, but her arms were suddenly around his neck. She was so _close,_ and he took in her scent (roses, with a hint of lilacs too, probably from her expensive perfume and shampoos), and his eyes found hers and couldn't leave, except that they _did_ when she started speaking, her pink, pink, pink lips forming words hypnotically to him. "I wouldn't want her to get _any_ sort of ideas about trying to walk in on what's _mine_. I'm a Northwest, Pines. I get what I want, when I want it. Even if you're a clueless dork that can't take a hint." And then she kissed him.

It wasn't passionate or fierce or romantic- it was a soft meeting of lips, a confirmation of every secret little desire he had nursed about the blonde for _years_ now. But it was all he could focus on, it _consumed him,_ the feeling of soft lips, the way her fingers daintily worked into his hair, how her eyes (blue, blue, _blue_ ) closed when they kissed, her light hum of enjoyment.

And then it was done, and she was backing away from him, and she was _smirking_ at him again.

 _This girl!_

Her smirk deepened, mesmerizing and pearly white. "Get a clue, Dipper. I can't do _everything_ for you!" She laughed and turned away, walking towards the exit, a sashay in her steps.

Dipper stared after her, open mouthed. He raised his finger up as if to make a point. He closed his mouth and lowered it. He tried again.

Still nothing.

 _Paz kissed me._

He blinked.

 _I really,_ really _like kissing Paz._

He shook his head. "Hey, wait up! Pacifica!"


	2. Insufferable

Pacifica Northwest, he decided, was the _strangest_ girl that had or will ever meet in his life. Possibly even a few others, if Fords theories on reincarnation were correct. His twin sister Mabel may have been a sugar addicted romance junkie with questionable ideas on personal space, but she was a strange that he could deal with and, if not _understand,_ he could at least cope with.

Pacifica- rich, talented, beautiful, athletic, insufferably smirking Pacifica- _she_ was weird.

He didn't know what to do with her! First she kisses him, then she insults him, then they are arguing again (but he suspects that might just be the way that the combative girl flirts with him), and then she smacks him and kisses him again!

Absolutely _maddening_!

"What'cha thinking about, dorkus?" Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.

"Nothing. Nerd shit," he amended.

"Nothing important, then. Awesome! I need you."

"For _what?"_ He glanced at her askance, her blonde hair in a tight ponytail, leggings and jacket posh and affluent against the cracked sidewalk he was standing on outside of Greasy's Diner. "More ghosts seeking revenge, huh?"

"Maybe I just want my boyfriend, hmm?" He blushed hotly when she said that, and she _smirked_ at him again. She stepped closer, a predator smelling the weak ready to be culled.

He gulped, a sinking feeling in his chest. "O-Oh? And who would that be, Paz? I don't remember anyone _agreeing_ to anything like that!" It was the principal of the thing- the spoiled girl just _walked_ in and kissed him without even a By-Your-Leave, and then walked out again? They had to _talk_ about this, have a _conversation_ back and forth and decide where and how they were going!

She frowned for a second, but it was soon replaced by a wicked grin. "Oh, you know, he's tall and tan and so goddamn nerdy that if you take your eyes off of him for a _second,_ he gets lost in a book or some dorky mystery or something. Maybe you've seen him?"

"Sounds like somebody you, I don't know, _coerced_ or something like that. After all, Paz, you're _super_ pushy, you know?" She grinned, advancing on him like a wolf did a wounded lamb.

"Pushy? _Pushy!?_ My dear DipDip, you wound me! Me, the beautiful and humble Pacifica Elise Northwest, _pushy?_ " Underscoring her statement, she backed him up until he bumped into the wall of the diner, a gasp escaping his lips. She put a hand flush against the wall on either side of his head, and he felt her fingers playing idly with the hair by his ears. He shivered, and he didn't know if it was in panic, desire, or both. "Well I _never_!"

He gulped, but rallied himself, just a little. "Maybe you just can't see it over your own... Overblown... E...gooooo?"

While he was speaking, she moved closer and closer, until she was almost snuggled into his shoulder, her breath puffing against his left ear, butterfly kisses running along his jaw. "My... _what_ , Dip?" He closed his eyes instead of answering, biting back a moan at her proximity.

However, his resolve failed when she bit on his earlobe, and it was all he could do not to buck into her, a lewd moan tearing from his throat. His answer, if it could be called that, was something along the lines of "Mmmmphhhawww!"

She laughed, but it was deep and throaty and _so fucking unfair_! "So, do you have a... _girlfriend_ , Dipper Pines? Someone that... hmm... gets your blood _pumping_ , that you can't get out of your... _head_?"

He panted, slowly gyrating on the spot, a captive under her nibbling teeth and hot, hot skin and breath and presence. "M...maybe, yeah."

"Oh? Care to... Describe her to me?" Every pause in her speech was punctuated by another nibble to his ear, his jaw, his neck.

"Well, she's... P-p-pushy, you know? And... Ah, Ah! She's... Amazing, when she decides not to be all... Umf, bitchy. But even when she is, I still lo- _like_ her, I _like her_ a lot. And she... Oh, God, you're going to kill me," he ended with a whisper, and he shuddered against her.

"Only if you ask nicely," she whispered into his ear, and he could feel her smirking against his cheek, that _beautiful wonderful horrible insufferable woman!_ "And what does this girlfriend of yours look like, Dipper, huh? Is she pretty?"

"Beautiful," he breathed without a moment's hesitation. She drew back, and, imperceptibly, she was blushing. He grinned, and she drew close to him, breath dancing across his lips like a sordid tattoo.

"How pretty? Is she... Say... Blonde haired, blue eyed, maybe rich, maybe sometimes a bit of a bitch?"

"Wellllll... She's not that bad," he said.

She kissed him, and he was definitely more enthusiastic than the first time she had taken his lips against hers.

They broke apart, and he wished they hadn't. She left his lips tingling, a drug that he didn't know he was addicted to. "So, you have a girlfriend, huh? She's a lucky girl," she teased.

"And I'm lucky to have her," he conceded. "Even if she _can_ be a spoiled brat."

 _ **Break**_

His girlfriend, he found out, was _difficult_ to deal with. It wasn't that she was, at times, a spoiled brat- she was, but he had a decade of dealing with her to help him ride that out. Plus, if he was the heir to a fortune numbering in the dozens of billions, _he_ would be a spoiled little prick sometimes, too.

And it wasn't that she almost _constantly_ flaunted how attractive she was. That part he enjoyed- walking down the street side by side, her hair bobbing up and down, her legs doing amazing things to her rear, and gravity itself seeming to conform to her iron will... She was gorgeous, absolutely stunning. A small part of him wanted to say _And all mine_ , but he knew better than that. Pacifica Northwest belonged to Pacifica Northwest alone, and he was just along for the ride.

No, the problem with his girlfriend was that Pacifica had _everything_.

Cars, a mansion, Butler's, fine jewelry, personal chefs, anything and everything she could _ever want_ in life, it was at her disposal. Which meant, for Dipper, that he was left with quite a conundrum.

He wanted to _do things_ for her; take her out to restaurants, the movies, even a bar, and he wanted to be the man for it.

But he was a poor college student that solved mysteries on the side, and she had more money than God.

It was... Infuriating. It made him feel small and insignificant and...

Not good enough for her.

"Mabel, I need some advice."

She looked up from her current crafts project- an amalgamation of glitter, ribbons and fabric that she would, somehow, manage to sell on Etsy for a disgusting mark-up. The money it put towards renting their two bedroom apartment almost offset how damn _messy_ it was. "Shoot, Dip-Bro! What about?"

"Pacifica," he said simply, and her eyes lit up.

"Your _girlfriend_?"

He winced, knowing that she was going to be absolutely merciless with teasing the two of them- but that would come later. "Yeah."

"What's the problem? You two have known each other for, like, _ever_ , you like each other, you're both cute, and, most importantly, I ship you two together! It's perfect!"

He sighed. "Yeah, but... I..."

"Worried about her being rich?" She nodded understandingly.

"Yeah. How'd you guess?"

She pinched his cheek, smiling widely. "Bro, you've had an inferiority complex as large as the Pacific Northwest-" she waggled her eyes outrageously, nudging him in the side with her shoulder as she sat down next to him- "Since you were seven years old!"

He laughed mirthlessly. "Yeah, you're right. Still, I just want to... I dunno, give her something that she can't get herself. And, since her family practically owns Oregon and Washington, that's a bit of a problem, you know?"

"Diiiiiipper. Dip Dip Dip Dip Dip Dip Dip! You silly butt! You have the one thing Pacifica wants right here!" She bopped him on the head playfully.

He grinned a little. "What, my hat?" He subconsciously rubbed at the old article currently perched on his head. That it had lasted so long was nothing short of a miracle.

"No, you doof! _You_ , Dipper! Listen, do you know how long Paz has wanted you? Like, crush and like and _like_ -like and even more?"

"I dunno, a few months? I can't tell with that girl sometimes."

"Nine years, Dipper. Nine. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiineeeeeee! While you were oblivious and running around being a sap, she was _pining_ for you, haha. Seriously-"

"I doubt," he snarked, and she jumped on top of him with a cry of battle"

 _"Seriously,_ Dip, she wants _you_! She can get all the other stuff for herself, but you're what she wanted! You've got nothing to worry about, at all, so stop worrying! Smiiiiiiiile," she finished, putting her fingers on his cheek and stretching them into the facsimile of a smile.

He reached up, tickling under her arms to gain a quick advantage over his errant sister. She shrieked, leaping backwards awkwardly from her position atop him, and he took the respite to haul himself back into a sitting position. "Thanks, Mabes."

"Anytime, bro! What else are awesome big sisters for?"

"Annoying me and making a mess of the table?"

"That, too," she conceded.

 _ **Break**_

She had stolen his hat.

 _Again_.

They were at the rebuilt Northwest Mansion, lounging- _this_ was what she had wanted him for, earlier. Before she had-

Ahem.

Before she had been so very _affectionate_ with him.

"Why do you still have this ratty old thing?" She _smirked_ at him again, that familiar look that drove him to the edge, casually slipping the worn white and blue cap onto her head, the old, frayed threads stretching to fit over her blonde crowned head.

He reached for it, but she leaned back _just_ enough to avoid his questing hand. "Because, I-"

He cut himself off, shaking his head in annoyance.

 _Insufferable rich girl_ , he thought, but there wasn't any real venom behind it.

"Because why, Dip? Lucky Charm? Magic Totem?" She leaned in extra close, her breath tickling his cheek and sending a shiver down his spine. "Rehead magnet?" His eyes widened, and he started to splutter a negative when she drew back, giggling.

He crossed his arms in ill temper. "It just reminds me of our first summer."

Smiling, Pacifica readjusted the hat once more, her carefree actions belying that fact that she handled his old article with the utmost care. "Yeah, that was a particularly strange one, dork."

"Yeah, and you were pretty bitchy back then, too," he jabbed with some humor.

" _Was_?" She asked archly. "I am _still_ queen bitch, Dippingsauce, and don't you forget it!"

"How could I, princess?" She smacked him lightly upside the head, and he laughed at her. She pushed him good naturedly, and he almost fell into her (gaudy, ostentatious, and oversized) pool. "There she is, alpha bitch! Queen of the overreaction! The utmost-"

She threw his hat back at him, hitting him in the nose. "Oh, _shut up_ , dork. We get it, I'm an insufferable bint. It's not like you're any better."

He fit the ratty cap back on his head, idly noting that it smelt like her- lilacs and rose. "Oh? Do tell, Paz. This will be _rich_ ," he teased with a grin.

She leaned in towards him, that damnable smirk forming on her face, lazy and knowing. His heart raced despite himself, and it was excitement and exertion and _oooh, this girl!_ "You, Dipper Pines, are, without a doubt, the most insufferable know-it-all that I have _ever_ met in my life. You are a sanctimonious prick with such an over-inflated ego that I'm surprised that you don't use your own bloated head as a hot air balloon to hunt for more of your freaky monsters. Your nose is so far in a book most of the time that I'm shocked, _shocked_ , that you don't have a permanent inkstain on your face."

His smile, which had started out bright and easy, had slowly slipped off his face with each newly spouted fault. "Jeez, Paz, if you didn't like me so much, why didn't you-"

Cutting him off once again, she held a single finger to his lips. "Wait a second, Dipping-Dork; I wasn't even finished. You, you insufferable little bookworm, are, also, without a doubt, the bravest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet in my whole life. You're... Ah, damn, I'm not good at this," she whispered to herself, and he laughed, smiling a bit. "You're great, Dip. Brave, selfless, kind, you... You make me _better_. I like who I am when I'm with you." She blushed, and he couldn't help but think that she looked small and shy, things which he did _not_ associate with Pacifica Elise Northwest. "I always have," she finished with a whisper that he was sure wasn't meant for him.

She cast her eyes downwards, not looking into his, the red tinge to her full cheeks a sharp juxtaposition to her usual demeanor. He grinned, touched.

He reached forward, gathering her into his arms, holding her close. "I love you, too, Paz." He knew that he didn't need to say anything else.

He was right. "I love you, too. Dork." And she kissed him, slow and lingering, and the wind blew, gentle and languid, through the trees.


	3. Jealous

"I am _not_ jealous," Pacifica insisted to her best friend, Mabel Pines. "I'm just..."

Mabel supplied, "Jealous?", and Pacifica groaned exasperatedly in her general direction. The sidewalk of Gravity Falls Main Street was surprisingly empty for this time of year, the early June sunlight waxing gently over the sleepy town. A couple other residents and tourists meandered from shop to shop, and they occasionally gave and returned waves to the well known pair.

"I am not," the blonde grumped tiredly. "I'm worried."

Mabel snorted, arms crossing over her tie-dye covered chest. "About what? We've known Wendy for, like, a _billion_ years, Pazzy! She's basically our older sister. Yours too, you worry-wuzzer!"

"I know, I know," she replied to her exuberant friend. "But she's just so... So...!"

"So what?" The brunette prodded helpfully.

A few choice words flitted through Pacifica's overworked mind- _Gorgeous, ginger, older, worldly, brave, terrifying_ \- but she refused to put any heed to the poisonous thoughts. "She's just so damn _Wendy_! And I know that your dork of a brother had a thing for her. And, I almost think he still does, _and I hate it **so much**_!"

Mabel made a noise, somewhere between a scoff and a snort, and started laughing. " _What_? Hahaha, girl, you crazy! Dipper is, like, head over heels for you! Have you, like, _seen_ how he looks at you?"

"Some," she admitted. She smiled, just a little. "Okay, a lot. That adorable dork."

"That's my bro-bro!" The exclamation was accompanied by a companionable arm around her shoulders as Mabel once again saw fit to invade her personal space- not that Pacifica minded her best friends boisterous interpersonal affections. She thought, wryly, that it made up for her parents stoic coldness, in some way. Not that she'd ever say that to her, like, _ever_. She'd never hear the end of it. "So, are you gonna, like, stop giving Wendy the Northwest stink-eye now?"

"Maybe," Pacifica conceded.

 _ **Break**_

This wasn't the first time that she had been awoken by Dipper screaming in terror in the middle of the night. She knew, also, that it would be FAR from the last.

For ten years now, they had been dealing with the aftermath of Bill Cipher tricking his way into the world, and then tearing a hole in the fabric of reality. Most of Gravity Falls had moved on by this point, assigning the memories of those dark days to memories best dealt with through alcohol and quiet contemplation. Dipper Pines, however, had had more contact with the demon than anyone else, barring maybe Stanford Pines, who had a goddamn metal plate in his skull to keep the triangle and the memories out of his dreams. Between possessions and combat and physical contact, the Cipher had left a black mark on Dippers mind and soul. A mark that sometimes manifested as screaming night terrors that woke up the whole house around him.

Pacifica slipped easily besides him, quietly nuzzling him against her chest, making soft, sweet sounds into his ear to calm him. "Shhh, shhh, shhhhhhh, baby. It's okay, I'm here. It's okay now, Dip; he's gone. He's gone, and he isn't coming back, not ever again. I promise. We beat him, babe. We sent him back, and we're all okay, and you're okay, and I'm okay, and Mabel's okay, and we're all okay, baby, so go to sleep, Dipper."

At the door, a bleary eyed Mabel gazed in with a look somewhere between worry and pride, a smile playing across her face. Pacifica shook her head, imaging what was going through the girls mind right now. She was almost as happy as Pacifica that her and Dipper had finally gotten together. Dipper stirred, his panicked, half hearted flailing giving way to a steady rise and fall to his chest. Whatever terror had possessed him was soothed, for now.

Grinning widely, Mabel shot her a thumbs up. Paz stuck her tongue out impishly, all the while stroking his soft hair, slowly and easily. The two girls make silly faces at each other as Dippers breathing evens out more and more, eventually reaching the soft snooze that shows he's reached deep sleep. Mabel gives one last sly grin at the couple before leaving, wandering back to her own room in the Shack where her and Pacifica had been having a small sleepover. The blonde girl lightly kissed her boyfriends forehead, staying there and embracing him for a few minutes. He smelled like parchment and ink and wildflowers, and it was a scent that he earned through hours of toil, of blood and sweat and tears. She knew almost every scar on his body, and had been personally there to witness more than a few of them being made. "I love you, you big doofus," she said fondly to the sleeping boy. He snuffled in his sleep, snuggling closer to his warm girlfriend subconsciously. She laughed lightly, running her fingers through his hair one final time. "I gotta go now, Dip. Before Stan wakes up. You know how he is," she reasoned to the sleeping boy, no matter how dead to the world he was. In response, he threw an arm around her waist, burying his head into her chest even more deeply, his weight soothing on her. He was real, he was here, visceral and alive.

He didn't need to speak to communicate what he wanted of her tonight. _Stay_.

She settled in, hoping that Mabel could smooth it out in the morning to Stan- he had strict rules about _"No procreating in my damn house, you young hormone bags!"_ , which extended to her and Dipper having to sleep in separate rooms. Pacifica thought it was more to avoid liability in the event of some baby themed accident, but that was neither here nor there.

Smiling, she slept, Dipper Pines ensconced in her arms, gripping her like a lifeline.

 _ **BREAK**_

Paz was glad that she hadn't strictly promised Mabel that she wouldn't be bitchy towards Wendy, because she hated breaking promises to Mabel. The girl had the absolute worst puppy dog eyes she had ever seen, and they made her feel like dirt every time she was exposed to them- which is why she did her best to make it a rare occurrence.

A few feet away, Wendy and Dipper were laughing and horsing around in their bathing suits, the cool air and summer breeze causing ripples along the lake that they all were gathered at. The whole gang was here- Robbie, Thompson, Tambry, Soos, Melody, Wendy, Pacifica, Stan Pines, Candy, Grenda, Lee, Nate, and the Pine Twins. And Wendy was currently tickling her boyfriend. Pacifica was doing her best not to going into a fit of jealousy, but it was a losing fight. With every peal of laughter the redhead forced out of Dipper, the blonde felt her mood souring.

She understood, conceptually, that it meant nothing- Wendy was Dippers first friend at Gravity Falls, and they didn't get to see much of each other after she moved to Portland. Honestly, the fact that everyone from the Pines first summer was here at the beach was nothing short of a minor miracle. And, also, she understood that Wendy had no feelings for her boyfriend, and that Dipper was well and truly over the ginger. But that didn't stop the ache eating at her guts, watching them interact with such an effortless familiarity. It was like they were... Were...

"Family," she breathed lightly, the realization dawning on her like the breaking of a dam.

She was jealous of the bond all of these people shared with each other. All around, while she lay on a towel, sunning herself, everyone had broken into their easily commingling groups, twos and threes and fours all horsing around and having a grand old time. Without her. Which was entirely her fault, of course. She had... trouble, reaching out and accepting people in. It was her upbringing. It was her goddamn parents.

"Hey, Paz," said Wendy as she sat down on the sand next to the Northwest, hair flyaway yet still picturesque. "Why the long face?"

"No long face here, Corduroy," she said coolly. She almost winced- this was why she was so alone all the time! Because she couldn't keep her big mouth shut, relying on ingrained instincts that she had tried her best to suppress. She wanted to be better than that.

"Yeah, I don't buy that," laughed Wendy, taking the other girls snappy comment in easy stride. "Is it me and Dipper? Cuz, dude, that was never even a thing, man. So, no vibes there. Dude's like my nerdy younger brother."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she sighed, bringing her knees up to her chest, resting her chin there. "I'm..."

Wendy smiled encouragingly, warm and welcoming. Around them, the rest of the group frolicked like they were kids again- except Stan, who was happily fishing as he sat on the small pier, Fez and fishing pole at the ready. Dipper was talking with Mabel, and she couldn't help but notice how he kept looking at them, a worried look on his face.

"I'm tired of always being the odd one out. Of being Pacifica Northwest, rich girl and heiress. I just want to be Paz. Paz, with my stupid dork boyfriend," she added thoughtfully.

"What's stopping you?" Wendy looked coyly at her out of the corner of her eye, smiling growing at an alarmingly Mabelish rate.

Paz laughed. "Yeah. I'll get there. Ya know, I still don't really like you hanging around my boyfriend. No offense, but you're gorgeous. And he, like, totally had a thing for you. And I trust him not to be an idiot, but it's still weird, you know? No offence," she reiterated.

"None taken," the taller girl laughed, throwing an arm around the younger girls shoulders. "But, hey, like I said, dude, don't worry about it. Like, at all. I've never seen that nerd happier than when he's with you. Now," she said, getting up gracefully and offering Pacifica a hand. "Let's stop moping around here and have some fun!"

Pacifica regarded the other girls proffered hand for a moment, before grinning loudly and taking it, jumping up besides her. It was a beautiful day, her friends were here with her, and she was smoking hot in her bikini. She had a boyfriend to flirt with, she decided.

"Yeah. Let's!"

 **I've tired of grieving, and my writers block is somewhat alleviated. Cheers, gents.**


End file.
